One week left for archery elk..
I've just been hunting GMU 38 here in Gilpin County because it's all I have time for, it's a low odds unit with a lot of hunters.
Anyway, this is only my second season of hunting and have managed to make it out 9 days now, at least one day every weekend and some Wednesdays and Thursdays. Last weekend I finally located some elk in the timber and managed to bump one from it's bed. They were also making some noise that day for the first time this season. Went back Wednesday to the same basin and got up on a timbered ridge in the dark and got above them. Wind was barely moving and straight uphill. Made some cow calls and got responses. Got a cow return and a couple calf returns that were pretty close and a bull location return. Also saw a couple cows right at tree line heading west in the cirque I was in about a half mile ahead of me feeding as they went along. Called again and the bull responded again within a few seconds, switched to a cow "come here" or assembly mew and the bull then switched to a couple full on bugles with chuckles at the end. He sounded a little ways off so I slowly kept moving in his direction while still calling and getting responses. Eventually I stopped because the timber was getting thick enough that I wouldn't be able to get a shot if I wanted to and began to scan around for a more open area. After a few minutes I decided to move to my left slightly downhill as the trees opened up a bit and as I turned to make a step over a log there was a loud crash directly behind me, another elk had came in to my calls and approached from behind and was only 15 ft behind me when I turned and it spun and took off running, all I saw was it's ass end disappearing in to the trees, I never heard it. In the meantime the elk ahead of me stopped responding and about 30 minutes later I saw another hunter pop up above treeline heading uphill. I'm guessing he got in between the bull I was calling and myself and the bull went the other way. Positive it wasn't this guy calling as well because I heard him call later when he got up higher on the ridge and it sounded like a guy blowing in to a tube..
Went back yesterday and the area was nothing but crickets, not a sign of an elk anywhere, hiked to the next basin over and ran in to another group of guys and they hadn't seen or heard a thing either.. I'm assuming they have moved across the valley to another ridge/mountain. As I left late yesterday afternoon I ran in to 5 other trucks driving around looking. Time is getting short, going to have to join them and drive up after work each night and see if I can figure out where they went, I still have Wednesday left and maybe sat or sun.
